SLPP will request PM to resign under Gotabhaya's govt. : Alahapperuma

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said it will request Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign from his position if its presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rakjapaksa comes into power.

Dullas Alahapperuma, a spokesman for Mr. Rajapaksa made these remarkes at a news conference in response to a question posed regarding the premiership. 

"He (Ranil Wickremesinghe) doesn't need to accept the request only if it is illegal or if he has the majority in Parliament," Mr. Alahapperuma said at the briefing to a journalist who questioned as to what would happen if the Prime Minister decided not to resign.

The news briefing had been organised jointly by the SLPP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) – the first of its kind after both parties signed an agreement to form an alliance.

Alahapperuma also called on the Election Commission to take immediate action against state media institutions which are providing biased coverage to promote a particular presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara voiced criticism against the group of SLFP members including party organizers who declared their support to New Democratic Front presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa yesterday.

“I wish to state that some individuals had been previously removed from the SLFP as organisers,” Jayasekara told reporters.

He pointed that the SLFP breakaway group named ‘Organization to protect the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’ cannot achieve their purported motive by joining rival candidates.

“If the SLFP is to be protected is has to be done within the party,” Jayasekara emphasized. He reiterated that the SLFP will continue to protect its identity despite joining forces with the SLFP.

(Pic by Indika Handuwala)